Apparatus for processing photographic material

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for treating photographic prints or film material in which chemicals and water are selectively fed to a light proof container for the material to be treated, which is releasably mounted on a collecting chamber from which it is pumped by a processing pump to the container and flows back to the chamber via a light trap. The temperature of the chemicals and water is accurately controlled. The chemicals are fed selectively from containers therefore positioned in a thermostatically controlled water tank via a separate secondary pump for each vessel and via a separate syphon tube for each secondary pump. When the pumps are switched off a portion of the chemicals can syphon back for re-use. Various types of light proof containers may be used and in one construction the feed pipe from the outlet of the pump is connected to the lower end of the container with the chemical or water overflowing at the top via a surrounding outer container. A level sensing switch in the container may alternately switch on and off the processing pump to provide vertical agitation. Film spirals may be supported on a motor driven rotary rod.

United States Patent 1191 Woollacott Dec. 18, 1973 [75] lnventoraDerrick Sunnucks Woollacott,

Sidcup, England [73] Assignee: Colorapid Limited, Croydon,

England [22] Filed: July 25, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 274,988

[52] US. Cl 95/96, 95/89 R, 211/45 [51] Int. Cl. G031! 3/06 [58] Fieldof Search 95/89 R, 93, 94 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,517,600 6/1970 Woollacott95/89 R 3,587,435 6/1971 Chiolfe 95/93 3,491,675 l/l970 Gold 95/89 R3,589,264 6/1971 Jensen 95/93 3,677,163 7/1972 Porter 95/90.5

3,088,391 5/1963 Sigler 95/93 3,635,143 l/l972 Talley et a1, 95/972,719,473 10/1955 Buttigieg 95/90.5 2,119,821 6/1938 Manley 211/412,l22,723 7/1938 Pinkham 95/100 Primary ExaminerFred L. BraunAtrorney-Martin Fleit et al.

571 A ABSTRACT Apparatus for treating photographic prints or filmmaterial in which chemicals and water are selectively fed to a lightproof container for the material to be treated, which is releasablymounted on a collecting chamber from which it is pumped by a processingpump to the container and flows back to the chamber via a light trap.The temperature of the chemicals and water is accurately controlled. Thechemicals are fed selectively from containers therefore positioned in athermostatically controlled water tank via a separate secondary pump foreach vessel and via a separate syphon tube for each secondary pump. Whenthe pumps are switched off a portion of the chemicals can syphon backfor re-use. Various types of light proof containers may be used and inone construction the feed pipe from the outlet of the pump is connectedto the lower end of the container with the chemical or water overflowingat the top via a surrounding outer container. A level sensing switch inthe container may alternately switch on and off the processing pump toprovide vertical agitation. Film spirals may be supported on a motordriven rotary rod.

, 13 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED DEC 1 8 I975 SHEET 1 (IF 7PATENTEI] BEE I 8 I975 sum 1 or *1 1 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSINGPHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL The present invention relates to an apparatus forpro-- cessing photographic materials such as prints, films ortransparencies, and is particularly concerned with an apparatus forprocessing in a relatively inexpensive manner, a single black and whiteor colour print or small runs of such prints.

In our British Patent specification No. 1,201,469 there is described andclaimed an apparatus for processing sheet or film material, theapparatus comprising a chamber, a light proof container for the materialreleasably mounted on said chamber, a processing pump communicating withsaid chamber, a feed pipe connected to the outlet of the pump, andextending substantially vertically upwardly with its open upper endlocated within the container adjacent the upper interior surface of thecontainer, a drain to the light proof container adapted to return liquidfrom the container to the chamber for recirculation by the pump, andmeans for selectively feeding chemicals and rinsing water at acontrolled temperature,to said chamber.

In the apparatus described in British Patent specification No.1,201,469, the processing container was supplied with chemicals and withwater from a tank conaining a plurality of vessels and means wereprovided for feeding water to the tank and an outlet valve wasassociated with the tank for feeding water to thechamher, and furtheroutlet valves were provided for feeding chemicals from each of thevessels to the chamber. Thus, both the water and chemicals were fed tothe chamber under the action of gravity.

It is now proposed, according to one aspect of the invention to provideapparatus comprising a collecting chamber, a light proof container forthe material releasably mountable on said collecting chamber, aprocessing pump communicating with said collecting chamber, a feed pipeconnected to the outlet of the processing pump, a drain to the lightproof container adapted to return liquid from the container to thecollecting chamber for recirculation by the pump,means for selectivelyfeeding chemicals and rinsing water, at a controlled temperature, tosaid collecting chamber, said means including a tank arranged at alocation below that of the collecting chamber, and containing aplurality of vessels for chemicals, and a separate secondary pump foreach vessel connected via a syphon tube to the collecting chamber.

With such an arrangement, particularly if the secondary pumps areconstructed as centrifugal pumps, when a suitable signal is given topump the appropriate chemical into the collecting chamber, theassociated pump operates and the chemical flows into the chamber.Subsequently, the processing pump connected to the feed pipe is causedto operate so that the chemical is-fed into the light proof containerand is circulated therethrough. As this happens the level of liquid inthe collecting chamber will drop, and suitable level sensing meanstherein will be arranged to cause the appropriate secondary pump tooperate to maintain a sufficient level of chemical within the collectingchamber. Upon completion of a particular chemical processing period, theprocessing pump will stop and the appropriate secondary pump will alsostop operating. All the chemical which is above the lower end of thesyphon tube in the collecting chamber will flow back under a syphoningaction through the syphon tube to the appropriate chemical vessel. Thus,it is possible to obtain feed back of a portion of the chemical, thisportion being suitable for re-use. As it flows back into its appropriatevessel, a violent agitation occurs therein to ensure mixing with thechemical remaining in that vessel.

According to a preferred embodiment, the secondary pumps are constructedto have rotors and stators of a plastic material, the rotor beingoperated solely by a magnetic connection between the rotor and a drivingmotor, so that there is no necessity for any glands. This isparticularly important with the chemicals used for photographicprocessing, since these are of an extremely corrosive nature.

As indicated above, the water is also fed by a secondary pump, but forthis the syphon tube is provided with a bleed port at its highest point,to prevent syphoning back of the water, which is used for washing of thephotographic material, into the tank. Clearly, it would beunsatisfactory if the tank became filled with dilute solutions of thevarious chemicals.

The invention also proposes a container for use with a photographicprocessing apparatus having a collecting chamber on which the containeris mountable, a processing pump communicating with said collectingchamber, a supply pipe connected to the outlet of the pump and a draininlet for the collecting chamber, said container comprising, incombination:

a light proof container wall means, having upper and lower ends;

a feed pipe connected to the lower end of said container wall means;

a drain pipe connected to the upper end of said container wall means;and

light trap means for said feed and drain pipes.

The level sensing means may comprise level sensing means in saidcontainer wall means operatively connectable to the processing pump ofthe apparatus effective to cause alternate switching on and off thereof.

. In one construction said container wall means comprises a light proofouter body wall portion and an inner tubular wall spaced radiallyinwardly from said outer body wall portion to form an annular space,wherein said annular space is connected to said drain pipe and to theinterior of said inner tubular wall near said upper end, wherein saidfeed pipe is connected to the interior of the inner tubular wall nearsaid lower end. With this construction it is possible to include aremovable lid positionable on said outer body wall portion, a rotatablefilm spiral support positionable within said inner tubular wall, a drivemotor carried by said removable lid and means connecting said rotatablefilm spiral support to said drive motor. Alternatively there may beprovided a displacement vessel positionable within said inner tubularwall, spacedinwardly of said inner tubular wall to providean annularspace therebetween, and means on the exterior of said displacementvessel to hold photographic sheet material spaced therefrom.

In a further construction the container includes a removablephotographic material support comprising an open topped and openbottomed box, a first set of spaced apart parallel rods extending acrossthe open bottom, a second set of parallel rods extending across the opentop, the rods at the top and bottom being perpendicular to one another,and spirally twisted elastic bands looped over one rod of the first setand one rod of the second set to extend perpendicularly from the top tothe bottom of the box.

In order that the invention may more readily be understood, thefollowing description is given, merely by way of example, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the collecting chamber and feed pump ofthe apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through the tank, collecting chamber andchemical vessels of the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 2a is a schematic side elevation, partly in section, of a pump usedin the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic enlarged view of the level sensinghousing of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section'through one embodiment of light proofcontainer suitable for processing photographic prints;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to FIG. 4 of further embodiments ofcontainer; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a support for photographic sheetmaterial.

Referring first to the construction of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there isillustrated a tank 10 provided with a suitable filling and heatingarrangement which may be identical to that described in British Patentspecification No. l,20l,469. In the tank 10 are mounted a number ofvessels 11 for the various chemicals. Each of the vessels 11 is providedwith its own delivery or secondary pump 12. The pumps are of'a knowncentrifugal type (FIG. 2a) in which the rotor 100a and stator 101a areformed of a plastic material, the rotor being driven by a magneticcoupling 102a, 103a between the motor 104a of the pump and the rotor100a thereof. A connecting pipe 13 extends from each of the pumps 12 andpasses over the upper edge of one of the walls of a collecting chamber14 to form a syphon tube 15, only two of these being shown in FIG. 1. Ascan be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower ends of these syphon tubes arecut away to form a chamfer. At the upper edge of the chamfer the tubesare formed with a short, narrow upwardly extending slot 18. A similarpump (12a) is provided for feeding water from the interior of the tank10 to a further syphon tube 16 (FIG. 2) which is formed with a bleedhole 17 at its uppermost point. On the side of the collecting chamber isformed a level sensing housing 19. The housing 19 is illustrated moreclearly in FIG. 3 and it can be seen that the bottom wall slopes towardsthe collecting chamber 14. Two open bottomed tubes 20 and 21 extenddownwardly from the upper wall 24 of the housing 19 and are providedwith diaphragms 22 and 23 respectively. Above the diaphragms, pipes 25and 26 are connected to pressure sensitive switches A and B (not shown).The tubes 20 and 21 are arranged to operate their associated switches,so that the switch B associated with tube 21.

is operated when the level of liquid in the collecting chamber is about2 inches above the level which is necessary to operate the switch Aassociated with tube 20. Access to the housing 19 is via slots in thewall dividing the chamber 14 from the housing, so that turbulence in thehousing is minimized.

As can be seen more clearly from FIGS. 1 and 2, the collecting chamberis provided with a side portion 27 having a sloping bottom wall 28inclined towards the remainder of the collecting chamber. Extendingupwardly from this lower wall is a drain pipe 29 provided with a slot 38for draining liquid back into the collecting chamber. Centrally of thedrain pipe 29 is a feed pipe 30 connected to a processing pump 31 whichis of the same type as the pumps 12. The inlet of the processing pump 31is connected by a pipe 32 to the bottom of the collecting chamber and bya further pipe 33 to a drain valve 34. The collecting chamber 14 isextended at 14A, at the top and one end, this extension being separatedfrom the remainder of the chamber by a partition 14B, forming a weir.From the bottom of the extension extends an overflow pipe 35.

Referring now to FIG. 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a suitableform of light proof container for processing photographic prints. Thiscontainer is essentially in three parts, namely a socket 40, a tubularportion 41 and a feed pipe 42, these parts being mutually releasable.The socket includes a light trap 43 secured to the main portion of thesocket 40 by a wall 44. Extending within the light trap 43 is a lowerfeed pipe 45 threaded at its upper end 46. This is suitable for engagingthe feed pipe 42. A scan be seen from the Figure, the socket, which isgenerally cylindrical, is flared or blown at 47 to receive the loweropen end of the tubular portion 41, the upper end 48 of which is closed,either permanently or by a removable lid.

As indicated in the Figure a rim 49 extends around the closed end 48 ofthe portion 41 and leaves a space in which the upper edge ofphotographic paper may be inserted. The paper may be held in place by ashort length of flexible plastic material which extends essentiallyalong a tangent to the rim 49 and clips the paper in place.

The light trap consists of two horizontal transverse walls 50a and 50bsecured at their outer edge to a tube 51a which in turn is secured tothe wall 44 and a further similar wall therebelow. A series of slits 51bis formed in the tube 51a and depending from the transverse wall 50b isan inner tube 51c. The slits provide communication to a drain pipe 43aof the socket 43, the drain pipe being coaxial with the lower feed pipe45.

FIG 5 shows a similar construction in which the socket member 40, thetubular wall 41 and the light trap 43 are of identical construction. Inplace of the feed tube 42 an inner container 52 is threaded on to thethreaded portion 46. The outer surface of the inner container 52 isspaced from the wall of the tubular portion 41 to provide an annularspace therebetween. Mounted within the inner container 52 is adisplacement vessel 53, to the outer surface of which are attached threeor more vertically extending rails 54 which project radially outwardlyfrom the displacement vessel 53. At a location spaced from the outersurface of the displacement vessel and extending circumferentially ofthe latter are a series of spaced apart pegs 55. As can be seen fromFIG. 5 the rails extend down below the bottom of the displacement vessel53 and produce a gap between this bottom and the bottom of the innervessel 52. It will be noted that the inner vessel 52 extends to a heightbelow the top of the container 49a, so that an overflow passage isdefined between the top of the vessel to provide communication betweenthe interior of the inner container and the annular space.

The displacement vessel may be constructed of an opaque material asdesired. If it is desired to produce colour reversal, however, it isconstructed of a transparent material and the lid 49a is provided with alight source 56.

A further construction of container is illustrated in FIG. 6. Here, adownwardly extending drain pipe 57 has, coaxial therewith, a feed pipe58 connected to a central aperture in an inner container 59 surroundingan outer container 60. The top of the container 60 is flared orblown at61 to accommodate a lid 62 having a drive motor 63 mounted therein, thedrive shaft 64 of the drive motor extending centrally downwardly fromthe lid 62. A disc 65, provided with arcuate slots 66 rests on anannular abutment 67 carried by the wall of the inner container 59, thedisc 65 forming a bearing for a downwardly extending shaft 68 providedat its upper end with a drive bar 70 on the shaft 64. The shaft 68 cancarry a number of conventional film spirals which are held in place by anut 71 having a drive spigot 72 engageable with the lowermost spiral tocause rotation thereof as the motor drives the shaft at 64 and thus theshaft 68.

The downwardly extending tube 73, including a pressure switch diaphragmin the lid 62 is connected to a switch C (not shown) and extends intothe inner container 59 to a level above the disc 65. A series of apertures 73a is provided near the top of the wall 59 to define an overflowpassage for the escape of chemical or water to the annular space betweenthe wall 59 and 60.

At the lower end the inner container 59 is provided, across its bottomwall 74, with a diametrically extending channel formed by a plasticstube, split symmetrically along its length with the concave facedownwards, the interior of the channel communicating with the feed tube58. Two slots 76 (only one shown) are provided, one near each end of thechannel 75. The slot at one end is on the opposite side from that of theother end. Thus as liquid flows up through the tube 58 along the channel75, it can escape on opposite sides from opposite ends, via theapertures 76 to provide a swirling motion of the liquid in the innerchamber 59 which is in the opposite sense to the direction of rotationof the shaft 68 and thus of the spirals carried thereby.

The container illustrated in FIG. 7 comprises aninner container 80having a bottom wall 81 above which is mounted a false bottom 82. Anumber of cutaway discs 83 and 84 serve to form a light trap and in thecentre of the bottom wall is a feed pipe 85. An outer casing 88surrounds the inner container 80 and extends thereabove to form anoverflow weir 89. A lid 90 closes both of the containers and is providedwith a downwardly extending housing 91 which extends into the upperportion of the inner container 80 leaving an annular clearancetherebetween. Within the housing 91 is a downwardly extending tube 92which is connected to a pressure switch C (not shown). The drain tube 93extends downwardly from the lower wall 94 of the outer casing. Betweenthis lower wall 94 and the lower wall 81 of the inner casing are furtherslotted discs 95 and 96 again serving as a light trap.

A suitable form for the support for prints or film material in thecontainer is shown in FIG. 8. This support comprises an open topped box100 provided with a first set of parallel bars 101 at the open bottomend and a second set of parallel bars 102 at the open topped end, thebars 102 being perpendicular to the bars 101. Each bar 101 hasassociated therewith a number of desulphured elastic bands 108 equal tothe number of bars 102. These elastic bands are given a slight twist sothat they extend vertically in the form of a spiral. Thus a plurality ofvertically extending open slots are formed and a film or sheet of papercan be fed between the elastic bands with only the minimum of contact.The effect of the spiral arrangement is to reduce the contact and enablethe water or chemical to run off therefrom readily. A vertical partition103 can be pushed between the front and rear walls 104 and 105 of theopen topped box. This serves to divide the box in half so that smallersheets can readily be supported. Again, using the same box furtherelastic bands 106 can extend across the space between the front and rearwalls 104 and 105, these bands 106 being engaged in slots 107 and thebands 106 will thus form an open partition. Thus, by a very simple meansa large box which is suitable for large sheets can be modified to makeit suitable for four times the number of sheets of one quarter the size.

In use of the above described apparatus, for example, using theconstruction of FIG. 4 as the container, the photographic material isplaced in the container portion 41 in the darkroom and this is engagedon the socket 40 to which the feed tube 42 has already been secured. Thefeed tube 42 is chosen to be of such a length that it is closelyadjacent to, but spaced from the upper wall 48 of the container 41. Theassembly thus formed is then fitted onto the remainder of the apparatusas illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, so that the drain pipe 43a of the lighttrap 43 engages within the drain pipe 29, and the feed pipes 30 and 45are in communication. When water delivery pump pumps water through pipe16, the processing pump 31 starts to operate and commences the washingcycle the moment the level reaches a level sufficient to close thepressure sensitive switch A. The water delivery pump is not in circuitwith switch A and the delivery pump continues to run, permitting waterto overflow continuously through overflow pipe 35. The cut away fromdrain pipe 29 is biased towards the overflow pipe 35, which encouragescontaminated water to overflow to waste, whilst the delivery pipe 16 isclose enough to pipe 32 to encourage clean water to be delivered by pump31, which results in an efficient and quick washing cycle. Duringawashing cycle therefore, both delivery pump and process pump 31 runcontinuously, overflow pipe 35 being large enough to cope with the fulloutput of the delivery pump.

When'the timer circuit (which may be similar to that described inBritish Patent No. 1,201,469 or may include a punched card or tape ormagnetic tape) has indicated that sufficient washing has been effected,then the delivery pump associated with the tank 10 is stopped and thevalve 34 is opened, so that the water therein flows towaste. Thetimerthen instructs the first chemical secondary pump 12 to-operate andchemical from one of the vessels 11 is pumped, via the syphon tube 15intothecollecting housing. Again the level will continue to rise and asit reaches the level of tube 20 so that pressure switch A is closed andthe pump 31 will be caused to operate, so that chemical is passedthrough the container 41. As before, the chemical will circulate. In themeantime the secondary pump 12 continues to operate and the level ofchemical will continue to rise in the collecting chamber 14 until itreaches the level of the tube 21. When the level has reached this, thepump 12 will be stopped from operating and the level will sink by syphonaction until it reaches that of tube 20 whereupon the associatedsecondary pump 12 will again be operated. This will continue for therequired time whereupon the pump 12 will cease to operate. Chemical willthen syphon back through the syphon tube into its respective vessel 11until the syphon is broken by air entering via slot 18. A smallproportion of the chemical as determined by the chamfer on the lower endof the syphon tube 15 will not flow back and will be discarded bysubsequent opening of the valve 34,when the level falls below tube 20.This can in fact be effected by the switch A.

The pump being of the type indicated permits the chemical to flow backand will allow the chemical to flow into the vessel 1 1 and considerableturbulence will be caused therein to ensure mixing of the partly usedchemical with the remaining chemical in the vessel 11. This feed back isclearly desirable if the photographic process is such as to permit itsince it overcomes unnecessary wastage of chemical. However, in certaincircumstances it will not be desirable for this to take place, andprovision is made in the control circuit for preventing a feed back whenso desired. This may be effected by the timer causing the drain valve 34to open immediately after the processing cycle has been completed sothat all of the chemical is dumped to waste.

The FIG. 5 container is used for treating sheet film material which isclipped in place by bowing the sheet, and allowing it to spring back toengage behind pins 55. The vessel 53 is sufficiently large to displacemost of the volume of container 41, so that only a minimum of chemicalis required. The liquid flows upwardly between vessel 53 and wall 52 andthen flows downwardly between walls 52 and 41.- Otherwise the operationis as with FIG. 4. If no colour reversal is required vessel 53 isopaque, but if colour reversal is necessary then this vessel is madetransparent and the light source 56 is provided and illuminated at theappropriate time.

If the construction of FIG. 7 is used, similar considerations apply. Thewater flows in through the pipe 85 and the light trap below the falsebottom 82 and flows upwardly in the inner container 80 and flows throughthe overflow 89 and is returned to the processing chamber via the drainpipe 93. When the wash cycle has been completed, the pump 31 will bestopped so that the liquid will flow back.

When the processing pump 31, pumps a chemical up pipe 85 then filmmaterial placed within the inner casing 80 on some suitable support, issubject to the upflowing chemical until this reaches a sufficient heightto operate the pressure switch C. When this is closed, the motor 31 isde-energized and the water willflow back through the pipe 85 and thelevel will drop. The pressure switch C will then be'opened and the pump31 will be switched on again. This will continue and a gentle upward anddownward flow of liquid within the casing 80 results.

After this has progressed for some time, a timer control mechanism willcut-out the pump 31, and the chemical will flow back to collectingchamber 14 via the pump 31, for syphoning back to the vessel 11 ordumping as appropriate.

The operation of the construction of FIG. 6 is similar to that of FIG.7. Here films mounted on spirals carried by support 68 are treated.First the lid 62 together with associated parts 63, 64, 70 and 73 isremoved and disc 65 is lifted together with parts 68, 69, 71 and 72, bypassing ones fingers through slots 66. Nut 71 is removed, the filmspirals put in place and the nut replaced. The container is thenreassembled as shown in FIG. 6. The operation is the same as that ofFIG. 7, except that the chemical solution is caused to swirl in onedirection, while the spirals are rotated in the opposite direction bythe motor. At the same time the liquid in container 59 oscillatesvertically due to the action of the pressure switch assembly 73. Thisensures maximum flow of the film material, the rotation and verticaloscillation preventing streaks forming in the emulsion, which mightotherwise be caused by the presence of the film spirals supporting thefilms. In each of the constructions of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the feed pipe45, 58, 85 is connected to the lower end of the container 52, 59,respectively. The drain pipe 43a, 57, 93 is connected to the upper endof the respective container, the liquid in each instance overflowing, sothat the photographic material to be processed is submerged in a movingbody of liquid.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for processing photographic sheet or film material, theapparatus comprising a collecting chamber, a lightproof container forthe material releasably mountable on said collecting chamber, aprocessing pump communicating with said collecting chamber, an outletfor said processing pump, a feed pipe extending into the interior of thelight proof container and connected to the outlet of the processingpump, whereby liquid may be pumped from the collecting chamber into saidcontainer, a drain in the lightproof container providing communicationbetween the interior of said container and said collecting chambereffective to return liquid from the container to the collecting chamberfor recirculation by the processing pump, means for selectively feedingchemicals and rinsing water, at a controlled temperature, to saidcollecting chamber, said means including a tank arranged at a locationbelow that of the collecting chamber, a plurality of vessels forchemicals, positioned in said tank, a separate secondary pump for eachone of said vessels and a separate syphon tube for each secondary pumpconnecting the secondary pumps to the collecting chamber, each of saidtubes extending to a point above said collecting chamber and down intothe chamber to a point adjacent the bottom thereof so that the tube actsas a syphon to return the excess liquid in the chamber to its respectivevessel when the operation of its secondary pump is terminated.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing and secondarypumps are centrifugal pumps.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the secondary pumps haverotors and stators formed of plastic material, and further comprising adriving motor for each pump and a magnetic connection forming the soleconnection between each rotor and the associated driving motor.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a furthersecondary pump connected to the interior of the tank and a furthersyphon tube connecting said further secondary pump to the collectingchamber effective to pump water to the latter, and wherein a bleed portis formed at the highest point of said further syphon tube.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising level sensingmeans associated with the collecting chamber, said level sensing meansbeing operatively connected to the processing pump and to the secondarypumps to control operation thereof.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the level sensing meanscomprise pressure sensitive switches associated with downwardlydepending tubes in the collecting chamber, the tubes having thereindiaphragms, flexing of the diaphragms causing operation of the pressuresensitive switches.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a drain valvefor the collecting chamber for draining the collecting chamber, theprocessing pump and the feed pipe.

l0 8. A container for use with a photographic processing a. a lightproof outer body wall portion, having upper and lower ends;

b. an inner tubular wall portion enclosed entirely within said body wallportion and having upper and lower ends, said inner tubular wall portionbeing spaced radially inwardly from said outer body wall portion todefine an annular space therebetween;

c. a photographic material receiving space defined within said innertubular wall portion;

d. a feed pipe connected to the lower end of said photographic materialreceiving space;

e. means defining an overflow passage at the upper end of said innertubular wall portion, providing communication between said photographmaterial receiving space and said annular space;

f. a drain pipe connected to the lower end of said annular space fordraining liquid therefrom; and

g. combined light trap means for said feed and drain 10 pipes.

9. A container according to claim 8 and further comprising level sensingmeans in said inner tubular wall below said overflow passage definingmeans operatively connectable to the processing pump of the apparatuseffective to cause alternate switching on and off thereof.

10. A container according to claim 8 and further comprising a removablelid positionable on said outer body wall portion, a rotatable filmspiral support positionable within said inner tubular wall, a drivemotor carried by said removable lid and means connecting said rotatablefilm spiral support to said drive motor.

11. A container according to claim 8, and further comprising adisplacement vessel positionable within said inner tubular wall, spacedinwardly of said inner tubular wall to provide an annular spacetherebetween, and means on the exterior of said displacement vessel tohold photographic sheet material spaced therefrom.

12. A container according to claim 11, wherein said displacement vesselis constructed of a transparent plastic material and further comprisinga light source within said vessel.

13. A container according to claim 8, wherein the container includes aremovable photographic material support comprising an open topped andopen bottomed box, a first set of spaced apart parallel rods extendingacross the open bottom, a second set of parallel rods extending acrossthe open top, the rods at the top and bottom being perpendicular to oneanother, and spirally twisted elastic bands looped over one rod of thefirst set and one rod of the second set to extend perpendicularly fromthe top to the bottom of the box.

1. Apparatus for processing photographic sheet or film material, theapparatus comprising a collecting chamber, a lightproof container forthe material releasably mountable on said collecting chamber, aprocessing pump communicating with said collecting chamber, an outletfor said processing pump, a feed pipe extending into the interior of thelight proof container and connected to the outlet of the processingpump, whereby liquid may be pumped from the collecting chamber into saidcontainer, a drain in the lightproof container providing communicationbetween the interior of said container and said collecting chambereffective to return liquid from the container to the collecting chamberfor recirculation by the processing pump, means for selectively feedingchemicals and rinsing water, at a controlled temperature, to saidcollecting chamber, said means including a tank arranged at a locationbelow that of the collecting chamber, a plurality of vessels forchemicals, positioned in said tank, a separate secondary pump for eachone of said vessels and a separate syphon tube for each secondary pumpconnecting the secondary pumps to the collecting chamber, each of saidtubes extending to a point above said collecting chamber and down intothe chamber to a point adjacent the bottom thereof so that the tube actsas a syphon to return the excess liquid in the chamber to its respectivevessel when the operation of its secondary pump is terminated. 2.Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing and secondarypumps are centrifugal pumps.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe secondary pumps have rotors and stators formed of plastic material,and further comprising a driving motor for each pump and a magneticconnection forming the sole connection between each rotor and theassociated driving motor.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, and furthercomprising a further secondary pump connected to the interior of thetank and a further syphon tube connecting said further secondary pump tothe collecting chamber effective to pump water to the latter, andwherein a bleed port is formed at the highest point of said furthersyphon tube.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprisinglevel sensing means associated with the collecting chamber, said levelsensing means being operatively connected to the processing pump and tothe secondary pumps to control operation thereof.
 6. Apparatus accordingto claim 5, wherein the level sensing means comprise pressure sensitiveswitches associated with downwardly depending tubes in the collectingchamber, the tubes having therein diaphragms, flexing of the diaphragmscausing operation of the pressure sensitive switches.
 7. Apparatusaccording to claim 1, and further comprising a drain valve for thecollecting chamber for draining the collecting chamber, the processingpump and the feed pipe.
 8. A container for use with a photographicprocessing apparatus having a collecting chamber on which the containeris mountable, a processing pump communicating with said collectingchamber, a supply pipe connected to the outlet of the pump and a draininlet for the collecting chamber, said container comprising, incombination: a. a light proof outer body wall portion, having upper andlower ends; b. an inner tubular wall portion enclosed entirely withinsaid body wall portion and having upper and lower ends, said innertubular wall portion being spaced radially inwardly from said outer bodywall portion to define an annular space therebetween; c. a photographicmaterial receiving space defined within said inner tubular wall portion;d. a feed pipe connected to the lower end of said photographic materialreceiving space; e. means defining an overflow passage at the upper endof said inner tubular wall portion, providing communication between saidphotograph material receiving space and said annular space; f. a drainpipe connected to the lower end of said annular space for drainingliquid therefrom; and g. combined light trap means for said feed anddrain pipes.
 9. A container according to claim 8 and further comprisinglevel sensing means in said inner tubular wall below said overflowpassage defining means operatively connectable to the processing pump ofthe apparatus effective to cause alternate switching on and off thereof.10. A container according to claim 8 and further comprising a removablelid positionable on said outer body wall portion, a rotatable filmspiral support positionable within said inner tubular wall, a drivemotor carried by said removable lid and means connecting said rotatablefilm spiral supporT to said drive motor.
 11. A container according toclaim 8, and further comprising a displacement vessel positionablewithin said inner tubular wall, spaced inwardly of said inner tubularwall to provide an annular space therebetween, and means on the exteriorof said displacement vessel to hold photographic sheet material spacedtherefrom.
 12. A container according to claim 11, wherein saiddisplacement vessel is constructed of a transparent plastic material andfurther comprising a light source within said vessel.
 13. A containeraccording to claim 8, wherein the container includes a removablephotographic material support comprising an open topped and openbottomed box, a first set of spaced apart parallel rods extending acrossthe open bottom, a second set of parallel rods extending across the opentop, the rods at the top and bottom being perpendicular to one another,and spirally twisted elastic bands looped over one rod of the first setand one rod of the second set to extend perpendicularly from the top tothe bottom of the box.